The BBC's 12 best-paid stars are all men, according to figures published by Britain's public broadcaster, which is grappling with a gender equality scandal in which one of its most senior correspondents resigned from her role. The BBC issued a public apology last month to former China editor Carrie Gracie, who quit that job in January in a highly public protest at being paid less than her male counterparts. This year's list showed Match of the Day host Gary Lineker was the best-paid person in 2017-2018, whose earnings fell in the STG1.75-1.76 million pound ($3.15m) bracket. The top earning woman, presenter Claudia Winkleman, was paid between STG370,000 and STG379,999. The corporation, which is funded by a licence fee levied on TV viewers, is obliged to disclose details of people paid more than STG150,000. Men occupied the top 12 slots and accounted for around six in 10 of the highest-paid on-air talent. Director general Tony Hall said the BBC was committed to closing the gender pay gap by 2020, but added that "these things take time". The BBC said the proportion of men in the list of top earners had fallen to 59 per cent in the current financial year from 76 per cent in 2016-17. It added that this year's list did not fully reflect some pay rises and pay cuts, which would filter through next year. Winkleman, who fronts popular entertainment shows including Strictly Come Dancing, was in eighth place last year, but the BBC said her fall to 13th place was linked to a structural shake-up. Some people fell down the list because they work for programs made by BBC Studios, which is now considered a commercial entity and therefore does not have to disclose what it pays. The BBC said eight women, including high-profile news presenters, had joined the list this year, but only one had gone up a pay band, while four men had done so. The Institute for Fiscal Studies think tank said this year that Britain's gender wage gap stood at about 20 per cent, down from nearly 30 per cent in the 1990s. Australian Associated Press

BBC's best-paid TV and radio stars all men

Match of the Day host Gary Lineker has been revealed as the BBC's highest-paid employee.

The BBC's 12 best-paid stars are all men, according to figures published by Britain's public broadcaster, which is grappling with a gender equality scandal in which one of its most senior correspondents resigned from her role.

The BBC issued a public apology last month to former China editor Carrie Gracie, who quit that job in January in a highly public protest at being paid less than her male counterparts.

This year's list showed Match of the Day host Gary Lineker was the best-paid person in 2017-2018, whose earnings fell in the STG1.75-1.76 million pound ($3.15m) bracket.

The top earning woman, presenter Claudia Winkleman, was paid between STG370,000 and STG379,999.

The corporation, which is funded by a licence fee levied on TV viewers, is obliged to disclose details of people paid more than STG150,000.

Men occupied the top 12 slots and accounted for around six in 10 of the highest-paid on-air talent.

Director general Tony Hall said the BBC was committed to closing the gender pay gap by 2020, but added that "these things take time".

The BBC said the proportion of men in the list of top earners had fallen to 59 per cent in the current financial year from 76 per cent in 2016-17.

It added that this year's list did not fully reflect some pay rises and pay cuts, which would filter through next year.

Winkleman, who fronts popular entertainment shows including Strictly Come Dancing, was in eighth place last year, but the BBC said her fall to 13th place was linked to a structural shake-up.

Some people fell down the list because they work for programs made by BBC Studios, which is now considered a commercial entity and therefore does not have to disclose what it pays.

The BBC said eight women, including high-profile news presenters, had joined the list this year, but only one had gone up a pay band, while four men had done so.

The Institute for Fiscal Studies think tank said this year that Britain's gender wage gap stood at about 20 per cent, down from nearly 30 per cent in the 1990s.